Description:The theme for the Green Economy National Youth Summit 2013 is ‘Investment in Skills development at the Centre of the Green Economy, exploring opportunities presented by the green economy’.

The South African Youth Council in response to various policy formulations with regards to sustainable development, understands that central to these is the need to align skills development of young people and identify existing skills relating to green economy. Our call for a summit on renewable energy is premised on this understanding. The New Growth Path identifies the opportunities presented by the renewable energies in maintaining sustainable economic development as part of drivers of job opportunities. Therefore the summit seek to unpack some of the proposals referred in the program by the Youth Development Agency, align objectives of the New Growth Path, National Development Plan and various documents that are aligned to sustainable development, and look at various forms of responses by different stakeholders.

The Summit aims to:

bring together various role players such as universities, the private sector companies, non-governmental organisations and government in presenting opportunities that come with green economy (particularly for young people);

explore various ways for mentorship and coaching in business development, management and sustenance, through cooperative and partnering of youth with existing business;

offer a platform to showcase new technological advancements within the various industries in responding to evolution towards green economy;

bring together professionals, academics, post-graduate students, undergraduates and learners who have interest in green economy, present them with an opportunity to share experiences on how to capture opportunities presented by the green economy; and

establish partnerships for young people facilitated by private sector, government and various institutions in creating opportunities for the youth.